Typically, a door handle for a vehicle may include a handle portion that is pivotable relative to a base portion, whereby pivotal movement of the handle portion pulls at a cable to move a latch mechanism to release the latch and open the door. The door handle is typically vehicle side specific, such that a vehicle typically requires at least two different door handles, a right door handle and a left door handle.
Due to the weight or mass of the pivotable handle portion, the handle portion tends to swing or pivot outward during a vehicle collision and may open the door of the vehicle during the collision. The door handle thus often includes a counterweight and lever mechanism that extends into the door cavity (behind the exterior panel of the door), in order to counter the weight and inertia of the pivotable handle portion to retain the door handle in its non-opening position during a vehicle collision. The counterweight, along with the other door handle components, often requires the door to have a greater width (or greater distance between the exterior door panel and the window, which may be lowered or rolled down to be within the door cavity) that is sufficient to receive the counterweight and door handle components when the door handle is mounted to the door.